Fr. Michael was a priest of the Diocese of Limerick and was instrumental in introducing Christian Meditation there in 1985. After his ordination in Rome on March 5th 1966, he was appointed Assistant Curate in St. Munchin's Parish in Limerick city. In August 1977 he was sent to Rome for post- graduate study in Theology, after which he served as Professor of Theology in St. John's College, Waterford 1980-1982. He spent the following two years, also lecturing, in St John's Seminary, Wonersh, England.
In Spring 1984, Michael received a doctorate in Divinity in the Gregorian University, Rome , after which he was appointed Chaplain in Mary Immaculate Training College, Limerick. It was while there that (in 1985) that he spent some time in the Benedictine Priory, Montreal. On his return to Limerick he invited Fr. Laurence Freeman OSB to speak at Mary Immaculate Training College. This was the beginning of a Meditation group in the College. Later this group moved to Caherdavin, a Limerick suburb. Some time later Anna Connolly, also from Limerick, heard Fr Laurence on the Gay Byrne Radio show being interviewed about his new book "Light Within" which had just been published. When Anna read this book she became very interested in Christian Meditation. She attended a conference in Gort Muire directed by Fr. Laurence. Afterwards she met Fr. Culhane and both of them worked together in spreading Christian Meditation in the Limerick area. Now Limerick, under the coordination of Pat & Claire Byrne, has eleven groups.
In September 2004 Fr. Michael was appointed Parish Priest of Kileedy. However about 3 years ago he suffered a stroke and while he recovered somewhat his health continued to deteriorate. On July 3rd 2009 he died peacefully in St. Catherine's Nursing Home, Newcastle West. After mass at Raheenagh Church, Fr Michael was laid to rest in Cappagh, Co. Limerick.
In nglac Dé go síoraí é.
Sr Margaret Collier OSU.
On hearing of Fr Michael's death, Fr Laurence wrote the following tribute:
My earliest memories of Fr. Michael Culhane are quite vivid. I remember his intelligent eyes, quick mind, good sense of humour, his modesty and the gentle, apparently diffident manner which hid a strong but not intrusive willpower. He was passionate about his academic interests and clearly was an expert in his fields, especially on John Henry Newman. But his spiritual life was not compromised by the energy he gave to the intellect. He understood meditation from the inside and understood the importance of communicating the contemplative dimension of faith in the modern church. The first occasion when, at his invitation, I spoke at the Mary Immaculate College, I was impressed by the groundwork he had done and the high esteem and affection in which he was held both by his students and the meditation community in Limerick that he nurtured and served.
One of the saddest memories I retain is of seeing the evidence of the physical and emotional havoc that his stroke had wrought on him when I met him at the John Main Anniversary reception hosted by President Mary Mc Aleese at the Áras. His determination to come- and the kindness with which his fellow meditators cared for him-testified to the deep involvement he felt in the life of the meditation community. Michael might have seemed too innocent to have been the victims of nature's random attention- to have been struck down in his prime. But he also manifested the translucent grace that accompanies the worst in life. His faith in Christ, his meditation radiated through his affliction. We have lost a fine friend and teacher in out community, but in the faith we share with him, we can rejoice that he is now in the embrace which wipes every tear from human eyes.
Laurence Freeman OSB
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